Chesapeake sweeps Lions to open season
BALTIMORE – Chesapeake College collected 32 hits last Saturday while sweeping host CCBC-Dundalk, 17-6 and 20-1, in the Skipjacks' season-opening women's softball doubleheader.
"They just did a really nice job at only swinging at good pitches," said Chesapeake head coach Durrie Hayes. "I bet we only swung at three borderline pitches and one really bad pitch all day.
"We hit a lot of balls hard that got caught, too," added Hayes.
Stephanie Weyermiller (five RBI), Hannah Stringer (four runs, two steals), and Kaley Schreiber (double, two RBI) each had three hits in the Skipjacks' six-inning win in the opener. Weyermiller capped the team's 19-hit performance with a sixth-inning grand slam.
"She crushed a pitch foul and the next pitch she hit about 40 feet over the fence," said Hayes of Weyermiller's slam.
Kellieann Tyner (two RBI), Samantha Greenwell (two RBI, double), Michelle Lawrenson (RBI, double), Sarah Straub (double), and Lisa Bishop each had two hits. Every Skipjack starter had at least a double or multiple hits, and seven drove in runs in the opener as Chesapeake scored in every inning.
Tyner earned a complete-game win, spacing six hits over the six innings with five strikeouts and four walks. Five of the six runs allowed were earned, but Hayes was impressed with Tyner's first outing.
"This was the first time I've ever seen her pitch in a game," said Hayes, noting the freshman from Queen Anne's County High did not play in the fall. "All-in-all, she responded pretty well and her velocity was pretty good."
Sophomore Cheyenne Riley earned a complete-game, five-inning victory in the nightcap. Riley gave up three hits and an unearned run while walking one and striking out one.
"That's pretty typical for her," Hayes said of Riley's performance. "She actually walked the leadoff batter of the game and only went to three balls on one hitter the rest of the game. I'm very pleased with her pitching, but I expect that out of her. She won 15 games for us last year."
Schreiber led Chesapeake's 13-hit attack, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and four RBI. Greenwell and Weyermiller each had a double and three RBI while collecting two hits. Stringer and Ali Jones also had two hits apiece, and Abby Tyner added a double.
Dundalk is 2-3 overall, 0-2 in Maryland JuCo.
The Skipjacks play a league doubleheader at Anne Arundel Community College on Thursday starting at 3 p.m. They leave on Friday for an eight-game spring break trip to Cocoa Beach, Fla., before returning for the meat of their conference schedule.
Hayes said defending state and region champion CCBC-Catonsville is likely to be the Skipjacks' main rival for conference and Region XX supremacy. Hayes, whose 2012 squad reached the region final for the third time in four seasons, said perennial contender Hagerstown and dark horse College of Southern Maryland could be other top teams.